章 18: Blue Eyes, Blue Mana

Even from where Valerio sat, the blue mana Leonor produced was warm. He had seen magic before but it was always a different color than that.

"My mother was a healer," Leonor explained. "My mana established just before she passed away."

Valerio's eyes widened and the light from Leonor's magic reflected in his pupils. After the initial shock passed, a grin spread across his lips.

"Does that mean you're a healer as well?"

"I don't think so," Leonor admitted. "I've tried to test it but it tires me out too much to go much further than this."

She had to pull her mana back in and a big yawn escaped her lips that she quickly covered with her finally warm hands.

"Tires you out quite a bit, by the looks of it," Valerio observed with a smirk.

"I'm sorry," she quickly apologized. "That was rude of me. I only learned about mana for two months before I lost my mother. She wasn't well and never told me how to expand my capabilities and my father took magic books out of the library."

Valerio tried hard for his smile not to wane. However, each time Leonor revealed something about her father, it wasn't anything good. Valerio was starting to despise the very man who paid him every month. His doubt began when Leonor was injured and he seemed inconvenienced.

"Then I ought to let the lady go to sleep," Valerio said. "You need to rest since you're injured anyway."

The tired smile spreading across Leonor's lips was genuine and made Valerio feel dizzy. He wanted to see her smile more often.

"You're right," she relented. "My father says I shouldn't leave my room until I can walk normally. He doesn't want anyone to doubt his next in line."

She brushed her words off as if they were nothing but Valerio was hardly managing to hold back his anger. At times she seemed to know she was mistreated, other times the mistreatment went over her head.

Deciding it was best to rest because the mana was making it hard to keep her eyes open, Leonor started to stand and Valerio was immediately at her side.

"You shouldn't walk or I'm going to feel guilty," he said. "Please, let me."

She paused with her palms pressed against the cushion of her chair, wondering what he was going to do next.

Since she wasn't stopping him, he lifted her carefully with an arm under her knees and the other around her waist.

Leonor was inexperienced and innocent while Valerio was overly helpful and blurring normal boundaries. Immediately, the lady felt a rush of confusion while it always took a little longer for Valerio to feel an electric sort of connection. It wasn't until after he carefully placed her on her bed that he realized he much preferred to have her in his arms.

He found himself hesitating as he realized his interest in her was becoming less innocent. She was so far above his station he didn't know how his heart had jumped to the conclusion that he could do anything except admire her from afar.

For once, it was him who was nervous.

"Thank you," Leonor muttered, finding herself heavy with tiredness since she was placed in her bed.

She wouldn't tell him that she was still in clothing suitable for daytime and would have to get out of her dress at some point. He would feel guilty about that as well it seemed.

"Is it alright that you're this tired?" he asked, genuinely concerned. "I've never seen someone tire out so quickly."

"I have bad control of my mana," Leonor admitted. "I can't control it and it's constantly seeping out even when I don't want it to."

Valerio observed her from afar but he soon returned to her side. How someone who easily fell into a bad state was unlucky enough to have an uncaring father and terrible sister was beyond him. She was vulnerable in a house fighting against her.

"I'll stay until you fall asleep," he decided, settling down and leaning his back against her bed.

"If that's what you would like to do," Leonor uttered. "Though I feel awful at how horrible of a host I've been."

Whenever she depleted herself in the past, she would simply fall asleep and wake up feeling restored. It felt strange to have someone worry over her for that.

"Please don't apologize," he said. "I was the one who invited myself here."

"Then I'll bid you goodnight," she said. "My eyes feel heavy."

"Goodnight, my lady," he whispered.

"Leonor…" she corrected him and he smiled.

He kept his eyes forward but he could hear her breathing change as she allowed the embrace of sleep to claim her. Once he was certain she was out, he gained the courage to look at her.

"I know someone who could help you with your magic," he whispered to himself. "So you never have to be vulnerable like this again. At least not in a place like this."

He wanted to stroke her cheek but the realization that he was interested in her more than he thought was eating at him. He didn't know how he could ever be someone who deserved her.

She was so beautiful and didn't seem to know it. It was a shame that such a ruthless father made her undervalue herself.

He leaned towards her, wondering if she would wake up if he touched her face.

Before he could go further, something darted out from underneath the bed and sprung into his lap. He had to put a hand over his mouth so he wouldn't yell in sheer shock.

Almost immediately, Valerio realized it was a black kitten who didn't seem to have any ill will towards him. When he picked up the kitten, he brought it to eye level.

Staring back at him were mesmerizing blue eyes that looked an awful lot like Leonor's.

The cat struggled to get more comfortable and he held it to his chest.

"Stay here with Leonor," he said. "Make sure she sleeps well."

He placed the kitten on the bed and, after staring at Valerio for a moment longer, it walked towards Leonor's neck and settled down.

Valerio picked up the cloak he was given and the old one, deciding he could repair it and give it to one of the other orphans.

He looked at Leonor and the kitten before he walked out of the room, but before he shut the door, he could have sworn he saw the kitten get even smaller.

He decided his eyes were playing tricks on him.

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章 19: Anything to Catch a Glimpse

The night Valerio left Burien Manor so late, he was in trouble with the orphanage's headmaster.

Since he had turned 18, there were constant talks about where he would go next. His lateness that day put more stress on the situation.

Even though he did bring the orphanage decent money, the headmaster had no choice but to decide what was best for him in the long run. He told Valerio it wouldn't benefit him if he always provided for so many others rather than focusing on himself and building his life.

Valerio insisted it was enough, but the headmaster couldn't accept that. The boy was destined for much more than what he was doing at that moment.

With the heaviness of leaving the only home he remembered, Valerio could only briefly visit Leonor after he was finished in the stables. He didn't want to push the headmaster further to make a hasty decision.

The stablehand decided the short visits were for the best. Any time he spent with Leonor, he realized how his feelings were developing. It wasn't fair for him to covet her knowing that it would put more stress on her current situation. It also occurred to him that the progress with her would be for nothing. Her shyness would send her in the opposite direction if he ever confessed to her.

For a month they behaved this way. Short visits left them both longing for a life much less complicated. If not a different life then the courage to pursue what was rooting its way in their hearts.

It was happening so quickly for both of them, but they found different reasons for their affection for the other person.

For Leonor, he was a place of solace. His warmth thawed the chill that had been inside of her since she lost her mother and her family turned their backs on her. The more words they shared, the more she trusted him.

For Valerio, it was the desire to protect someone so precious. He couldn't bear the thought of her having to marry a nobleman one day approved by her terrible father. He could only imagine the Count finding someone just like him for his eldest daughter.

In their outward hesitance with one another, their feelings still snowballed. Their internal conflicts made it so Valerio never managed to ask Leonor about the kitten in her room. Each time he snuck in, he never saw the kitten again.

The early days of spring settled over the Castillian Kingdom. The coast off of Burien County was pristine and amongst days of rain were days of flowers and plants revealing themselves after such a grey winter.

Gardeners returned and cleared out nonperennial plants that had died due to the change of season. There was so much activity that the stablehands were involved in beautifying the Count's gardens.

On a particularly pristine day, Valerio was dealing with the weeds that came with the spring wind and rain. He had piles on the pathway he needed to clean up before going to the stables and continuing his regular schedule.

The cloak that Leonor gifted him was hung up amongst his tools considering the sun beating down on him made it too hot to wear. Yet he still wanted to keep it within arm's reach. If he wore the cloak, it felt like it would make up for all the hugs he would never get from Leonor. He wished he knew from the time he rescued her that he would have feelings for her. He would have savored the moment of her hanging onto him more.

As usual, Valerio wore a hat covering his blonde hair and offered his face a bit of shade from the sun. Despite the benefits, it was unbelievably hot. Since no one was around, he pulled the hat halfway off and wiped his forehead with the back of his wrist. It was only going to get hotter but it was his burden to continue wearing the hat. He wouldn't give up his lack of attention just to remove a hat.

Thinking the coast was clear, he fixed his hat and continued his work. However, he heard someone clear their throat from above and he stood up to his full height in alarm.

"I caught you," Leonor said from a balcony above.

Valerio noticed instantly it wasn't the balcony to her room or he would have been a bit more cautious. There wasn't a crutch to be seen and his eyes widened in amazement.

"Could you keep it a secret, my lady?" Valerio asked, a smirk pulling at his lips so she knew he was being sarcastic. "If a lowly commoner is allowed to ask the heiress of von Burien such a thing."

Her smile came easily and his heart soared. When he first met her, she never smiled so easily.

"I'm feeling generous today," Leonor responded, making a dramatic show of tapping her chin as if it was a hard decision for her. "The sun puts me in a good mood. Although I'm afraid I forgot to bring an umbrella. My skin is going to get too dark if I'm not careful. That wouldn't be very becoming of a noble lady."

"Then you would be perfectly suited for the person maintaining the garden," he responded. "If you're scorned as a noble, you'll have no choice but to settle with someone like me. How unfortunate for you, indeed."

Leonor's first instinct was to be offended that he would suggest she give up the title she worked so hard to obtain, but that was only her learned response. Her natural response came second when she placed a hand on her cheek as a blush took over. He was kidding, of course, but she wanted so badly to run away with him.

Valerio made her dare to believe that life could be simple. She could feel safe - perhaps even loved.

"I tire too easily to keep up with someone as energetic as you," she responded meekly, hoping it was enough to hide her true feelings.

"Opposites attract," Valerio argued.

Leonor dropped her ladylike behavior and she leaned into the stone bannister surrounding the small balcony. Her lips pressed against her hand as she grinned at the man who was teasing her. Her eyes crinkled and he knew she was smiling even if she did her best to hide it.

"How are you feeling?" he asked her, dropping what Leonor thought was an act. "I don't see your crutch."

"Much better," she admitted. "Although it makes me nervous to walk around like this. I have to visit a tutor today to make sure I haven't fallen behind while I've been healing."

Valerio wanted to respond but a sharply dressed older woman walked onto the balcony behind Leonor. It was clear she was an older noble and her expression spoke of arrogance.

"My lady, it's time to begin."

She didn't even bother acknowledging the person below the balcony who was undoubtedly not worth her time.

"Until I see you again," Leonor said cryptically, opening up the possibility of an evening visit.

Valerio could only nod as he was pushed into a thoughtful mood.

He crafted a way to see her again with his heart racing in his chest. His position was at risk. He couldn't afford to lose work but Leonor made his heart cry out in joy.

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